Firecrackers: because we all love them

[Kobo-Daishi]

So what was the occasion?

 

Kobo,

[banjo67xxx]

When I spent my first Chinese New Year in 济南 my wife explained to me that there was an ongoing rivalry between our compund and the one next door, and every year they try to set off more firecrackers than each other. I enjoy them every year.

 

However, I do find firework displays more interesting. Just seen the Bonfire night fireworks display at Royal Ascot Racecourse, and that was excellent. Not surprisingly the fireworks are imported from Liuyang by the shop round the corner from our UK home.

[langxia]

I actually enjoy it on one side (I love firecrackers) but on the other side I know it is actually really bad on the pollution side and would better be avoided. And as long as it is not year long I don't mind the two weeks of craziness.

[Manuel]

And let's not forget that noise is also a form of pollution that causes permanent hearing loss (to varying degrees).

[Manuel]

Recently pollution levels here in Wuxi and apparently in many other Chinese cities has gone up like crazy. Right now I cannot see the top of the 20-storey building across the road. I wanted to believe it was just fog, but everyone's telling me otherwise. Luckily, people continue to set fireworks in a clever attempt to reduce the amount of crap in the atmosphere.

[Manuel]

Pyrotechnics were banned in urban areas countrywide IIRC. In Nanjing people seem to respect the ban, don't know about other cities, but in Wuxi we are still enduring the daily dose of fireworks. Just now, another event worthy of celebration happened not far from work—a solid 15 minutes. During that time, no amount of work got done. I'm completely certain they don't really enjoy it, not anymore than watching paint dry for 15 minutes. Apparently it's a formality: The other day I asked the guy who cuts my hair about it and he said when people are invited to the fireworks display they are basically being asked to bring hong bao and fireworks, and the fireworks must be consumed in their entirety as it would be disrespectful not to and, because when people are bringing hong bao the more the merrier, you can see how more fireworks is what they hope for, whether they like fireworks or not. It's kind of like when I played the pools back home—I didn't give a toss about football, but still kept an eye on the league in case I could win some money. But maybe my barber is not 100% correct, though I'd like to think he is.

[DavyJonesLocker]

People pretty much respected the ban in Beijing during the new year festivals, which did surprise me actually. 

 

However I was woken up at 7:30, 8m on a sunday morning in january by neighbours lightening those long red strip ones than just make a pile of horrific noise. They were preparing for a wedding. That cannot be passed of as cultural, its downright selfishness. I live in a posh style compound and the neighbours certainly made their opions know to the offenders. The baoan came along to chastise them too.

[889]

Firecrackers. My first exposure to Chinese.

 

As a kid picking up the paper shreds after they popped off. Shreds printed with those strange things: characters, Chinese characters.

 

They piqued my curiosity for years.

 

 

 

 

 

[Manuel]

2 hours ago, DavyJonesLocker said:

the neighbours certainly made their opions know to the offenders. The baoan came along to chastise them too.

 

I'm glad the younger generations in China are gradually starting to see through tradition and, in general, the copious amounts of BS that prevail in Chinese society. I reckon once the lost generation is gone entirely, all the things that bother me about China will actually start to fade away.

[DavyJonesLocker]

32 minutes ago, Manuel said:

I'm glad the younger generations in China are gradually starting to see through tradition and, in general, the copious amounts of BS that prevail in Chinese society. I reckon once the lost generation is gone entirely, all the things that bother me about China will actually start to fade away.

 

 

I definitely think it's moving in the right direction and many younger people are open to "new ideas " like recycling etc.

I know many people who are disgusted by a traditional seafood hotpot whereby you slowly boil an octopus alive. Went to one once and it was simply an awful sight.

 

Although I'm not a vegetarian I think it's shocking to animals unnecessarily suffer to support some BS notion that the meat will taste nicer.

 

I do think the government could be doing more to change perceptions though such as traffic violations. Blocking up junctions just effects everyone and it's a good source of income for a district

[matteo]

I don't really know how bad the phenomenon is in China, however in Italy where I grew up firecrackers used to be a big thing, and as kids we would spend all our money in them and they would be one of the main sources of amusement for most of the winter holidays. All day, every day, and nobody ever complained. 

Adults also used to go crazy about them and spend thousands to setup a good show on new years eve and in the following days.

The bigger the explosion, the more exciting, hence people going to extreme length to procure illegal fireworks as big as footballs (and obviously getting killed). 

Anything would be literally covered in red plastic shreds for weeks.

 

Nowadays when I look at it, I think it is horribly dangerous and polluting, but I can't really be mad as I know there is really no malice in it at all...it is literally just people that have been looking forward to do it for a whole year simply for the fun of it. No particular tradition or cultural reason attached to it as far as I know.

Doing firecrackers on new year's holidays used to be seen as an harmless and healthy and enjoyment like - I don't know -  going out for a beer.  Because it is such a normal and widespread activity, it is not very likely that people on their own initiative start considering all the downsides and choose to change. 

 

Nowadays things in Italy are changing as younger people are more aware of environmental issues, are more sensitive to animal treatment etc. It happens but it takes a while.